Cross-Kingdom Influence on Nutrient Cycling
(Present)
My current graduate research focuses on how soil microbes (such as bacteria, fungi, and protists) and their inter- and intra-kingdom interactions contribute to carbon and nitrogen cycling on Avena brevis grass.
NSF Invasions and Ecosystems
(May 2023)
Funded by NSF's IRES program, this 2-week research training course focused on the intersection between biological invasions, ecosystem processes, and global change in western Australia.
Organizers: Dr. Jason Hoeksema, Dr. Steve Brewer, Dr. Nicole Hynson, Dr. Carla D'Antonio, Dr. Rytas Vilgalys, Dr. Ian Anderson, and other colleagues at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment.
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Reclaimed Water Influence on Plants Native to the San Francisco Peaks
(June 2021 - June 2023)
My undergraduate research with the RISE program was understanding how local reclaimed water systems can influence arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in native plants on the San Francisco Peaks, along with other soil properties such as soil chemistry. This is important because reclaimed water irrigation is becoming a popular practice throughout the world despite the limited knowledge surrounding how reclaimed water can affect the local ecosystems.
Bioaccumulation of Metals and Metalloids in Botanical Tissue
(June 2022 - December 2022)
There remain over 500 unremediated abandoned uranium mine sites on the Navajo Nation. In these areas, radioactive elements can spread further into the environment, or it can leach into the groundwater as most elements are water soluble. In this study, two communities located in Cove and Red Valley, AZ on the Navajo Nation requested to have their livestock collared and GPS tracked to determine where they graze. The purpose of this study is to quantify the bioaccumulation of metals and metalloids in botanical tissue and soils grown in the grazing areas and compare it to a control site where uranium mining did not occur.
Collaborators: Dr. Jani C. Ingram, Dr. Nancy C. Johnson, and Dr. Catherine R. Propper
NASA Moss and Seed Pellets
(January 2022 - May 2022)
This project focused on two main points: the interaction between Syntrichia ruralis and Achillea millefolium, and the effects of hydrogel on water retention and pellet structure over time. The units were monitored once a week to check for seed germination, moss germination, and pellet structure.
Collaborators: Nelly McCuistion, Jasmine Anenberg, Michael Slaon, Dr. Anita Antoninka, and Ivory Bacy